OCR scanned PDFs and images into editable text
Convert scanned PDFs, receipts, screenshots, JPG, PNG, and WEBP files into text that can be copied, or downloaded as TXT. English recognition; up to the first five PDF pages. No automatic summaries, translation, or table export.
Direct answer
When do you need OCR?
You need OCR when a PDF behaves like an image: text cannot be selected, searched, summarized, translated, or exported reliably. Extracting text first makes every downstream AI and document workflow more useful.
Upload scanned files
Start from a scanned PDF, receipt image, JPG, PNG, or WEBP instead of retyping document text by hand.
Review extracted text
Check the recognized text against your original, especially names, dates, and amounts. OCR can make mistakes.
Reuse the result
Copy the reviewed text or download a TXT file. This tool does not create structured tables or a searchable PDF.
Free and local
OCR PDF to text
Upload a scanned PDF or image, review the editable text, and download a plain-text copy. No account required.
OCR runs in your browser. The file is not uploaded to PDF Everything. PDF files are limited to the first 5 pages in this first version.
Workflow fit
OCR is the first step, not the last step
This tool produces editable plain text, not structured CSV, Word tables, or a searchable PDF. Review the result against your scan before copying or downloading it.
Manual retyping
Slow, error-prone, and hard to repeat when teams process batches of forms, receipts, or scans.
OCR first
Best when the source is scanned or image-only and needs clean text before any AI step is useful.
Review before reuse
Check the text yourself before using it in another application. Automated summary, translation, and rewrite are not included here.
Use cases
Where OCR saves retyping
Scanned contracts
Turn image-only agreements into selectable text before summary, clause review, or translation.
Receipts and invoices
Extract supplier names, amounts, dates, tax lines, and notes before moving data into a spreadsheet.
Research snapshots
Reuse charts, screenshots, and scanned report pages as searchable notes or AI context.
English paperwork
Extract readable English text from scans before summary, translation, or bilingual review workflows.
Turn scans into reusable document text
Run local OCR, check the recognized text, then copy it or download a TXT file for use in your own applications.
Run OCR for freeFrequently Asked Questions
- Can I OCR a scanned PDF online?
- Yes. The browser OCR tool accepts PDF, JPG, PNG, and WebP files, processes up to the first five PDF pages locally, and returns editable text for copying or download.
- What file types should OCR support?
- The live workflow supports scanned PDF files plus JPG, PNG, and WebP images, then outputs editable text that can be copied or downloaded.
- Does this tool summarize, translate, or export tables?
- No. This tool returns editable plain text for copying or TXT download. It does not include AI summaries, translation, Markdown conversion, structured CSV export, or searchable PDF output.
- Does OCR work for every language?
- The first browser version uses the English OCR model. Accuracy depends on image clarity, font, and page layout; multilingual models can be added later without changing the local workflow.
- Is OCR private?
- Yes. OCR runs locally in your browser through Tesseract.js; the selected file is not uploaded to PDF Everything. Review the result before sharing sensitive text.
Related PDF workflows
PDF Translation Brief
Turn readable source text into a terminology, layout, and QA handoff before translation.
PDF Table Extractor
For PDFs with selectable text only: extract rows and export CSV. This is a separate tool, not an OCR-text import workflow.
Your selected file is processed locally. Check recognized names, amounts, and other sensitive fields before sharing the output.
Recognition currently uses the English model. Other languages may produce inaccurate results. The translation brief is a planning checklist, not an automatic translator.